Update:
Tonali tug of war

Writing for The Athletic on Saturday night, the invariably reliable David Ornstein confirmed that Spurs have initiated transfer talks with Newcastle for Sandro Tonali.

The Italian international midfielder has also been strongly linked with Manchester City - a story that Ornstein also references in his report, claiming that their interest is in addition to to the pursuit of old boy Elliot Anderson.

Various outlets then reported that Spurs had made an offer of around £80m for Tonali earlier in the week that was instantly dismissed by the Magpies.

Update:
Alan Murray RIP

The death of former Newcastle United Assistant Manager Alan Murray has been confirmed, at the age of 76.

Walker-born Murray began his playing career at Wallsend Boys Club and joined Wolves as an apprentice in 1966, switching to Middlesbrough the following year.

Following a decade of service in the midfield for Boro, York City, Brentford and Doncaster Rovers, Alan held various off-field roles including spells managing both Hartlepool United and Darlington.

Teaming up with former Ayresome Park colleague Graeme Souness at Southampton in 1996, the pair later took charge of both Benfica and Blackburn Rovers before succeeding Sir Bobby Robson at Gallowgate during September 2004.

Murray remained at United with Souness until both left in February 2006.

2026/27:
Low key start...

Newcastle will begin the 2026/27 season against Liverpool at SJP on Sunday August 23rd at 4.30pm - the fifth time in the last six years that United have had a home opener.

In addition to player-related sub-plots - a possible PL debut for Toon target Victor Munoz and the first time Alexander Isak has faced his former club - it also sees new Reds boss Andoni Iraola test his unbeaten PL record on Tyneside.

That Liverpool home game is live on Sky Sports, who hold UK live transmission rights along with TNT Sports. The first live schedule release date is in the week commencing Monday July 13th, covering our first PL away game at Spurs.

That game take places over the August Bank Holiday weekend and were it to be played on the Sunday, would clash with rail work affecting Kings Cross services.

The five midweek match rounds see Manchester United, Nottingham Forest and Chelsea visit SJP. Trips to Old Trafford and the City Ground comprise our midweek aways.

At least one Saturday game will be rescheduled as a result of the opposition's European commitments; United's PL visit to Crystal Palace on Saturday October 24th just 48 hours after the Eagles are in Europa League Group Stage action. 

Progress for Brighton into the Conference League Group Stage meanwhile would require our PL visit to Sussex on Saturday November 28th to be similaly rescheduled.

Coventry's CBS Arena will become the 62nd different PL venue to have hosted Newcastle when they head there during October for our first visit since December 2009.

Following last season's away double header, the two festive season games are both on Tyneside.

This season's Carabao Cup takes place on Sunday March 21st, coinciding with the visit of Leeds United to SJP.

There's no clash with PL games on any FA Cup round weekend until the Semi-finals, on or around April 24th. The Magpies are due to host Ipswich Town that weekend.

The final home game against Crystal Palace is scheduled on Sunday May 23rd, along with the rest of the PL games that weekend. Saturday May 22nd is clear for the FA Cup Final. 

The closing game of the season then takes the Magpies to promoted Hull City on Sunday May 30th at 4pm - their first top-flight visit to Humberside since January 2015.

August
Sun 23 Liverpool (H)
Wed 26 Carabao Cup 2
Sat 29 Spurs (A)

September
Sat 05 Bournemouth (H)
Sat 12 Leeds United (A)
Sat 19 Hull City (H)

October
Sat 10 Coventry City (A)
Sat 17 Aston Villa (H)
Sat 24 Crystal Palace (A)
Sat 31 Everton (H)

November
Sat 07 Fulham (A)
Sat 21 Arsenal (H)
Sat 28 Brighton and Hove Albion (A)

December
Wed 02 Manchester United (H)
Sat 05 mackems (H)
Sat 12 Ipswich Town (A)
Sat 19 Brentford (A)
Sat 26 Manchester City (H)
Wed 30 Nottingham Forest (H)

January
Sat 02 Chelsea (A)
Wed 06 Manchester United (A)
Sat 09 FA Cup 3
Sat 16 Fulham (H)
Sat 23 Arsenal (A)
Sat 30 Brighton and Hove Albion (H)

February
Sat 06 Everton (A)
Wed 10 Chelsea (H)
Sat 20 Manchester City (A)
Sat 27 Brentford (H)

March
Wed 03 Nottingham Forest (A)
Sat 13 Bournemouth (A)
Sat 20 Leeds United (H)

April
Sat 10 Liverpool (A)
Sat 17 Spurs (H)
Sat 24 Ipswich Town (H)

May
Sat 01 mackems (A)
Sat 08 Coventry City (H)
Sat 15 Aston Villa (A)
Sun 23 Crystal Palace (H)
Sun 30 Hull City (A)

United enter the Carabao Cup in the regionalised Second Round on or around Wednesday August 26th. They should learn their opponents on or around Monday August 10th.

The usual FA Cup Third Round ties will take place on or around Saturday January 9th 2027, with the draw for that set to be staged on or around Sunday December 6th.

The Magpies are yet to release details of the home cup ticket schemes for Carabao Cup and FA Cup ties.

USA:
First Wissa, now Elanga

When and where for our lot in the USA (all times BST)

Find Coral's WC betting markets online here   

Anthony Elanga (Sweden, Group F):
Sat 20.06.2026 Netherlands lost 1-5
The Newcastle player was a 55th minute arrival from the bench in Houston with Sweden trailing 0-4, reducing the arrears within five minutes with a fine solo strike.

Elanga is the ninth different player to net at the World Cup Finals while a Magpie, following George Robledo (Chile 1950), Ivor Broadis (England 1954), Peter Beardsley (England 1986), Alan Shearer (England 1998), Craig Moore (Australia 2006), Moussa Sissoko (France 2014), Aleksander Mitrovic (Serbia 2018) and Yoane Wissa (DR Congo 2026).

Fri 26.06.2026 Japan (Dallas, USA) 12am bbc

Mon 15.06.2026 Tunisia won 5-1
A comfortable win in Monterrey saw Elanga come off the bench in the first minute of added time when it was 4-1. He replaced a former Magpie who had scored for his side....

Malick Thiaw, Nick Woltemade (Germany, Group E):
Sat 20.06.2026 Ivory Coast won 2-1
Unused substitute duty again for the Toon pair, this time in Toronto. With his side trailing 0-1, German coach Julian Nagelsmann opted to bring on Deniz Undav rather than Woltemade and saw the Stuggart forward notch a brace.

Thu 25.06.2026 Ecuador (New Jersey, USA) 9pm bbc

Sun 14.06.2026 Curacao won 7-1
Neither Magpie made it off the bench in Houston.

Bruno Guimaraes (Brazil, Group C):
Sat 20.06.2026 Haiti won 3-0
A routine success for Brazil in Philadelphia, with Bruno retaining his place in the side and playing 81 minutes.

Wed 24.06.2026 Scotland (Miami, USA) 11pm bbc

Sat 13.06.2026 Morocco drew 1-1
Bruno in New Jersey and provided an assist for Vini Junior's equaliser. He was replaced in the 80th minute.

Dan Burn (England, Group L):
Tue 23.06.2026 Ghana (Boston, USA) 9pm bbc

Sat 27.06.2026 Panama (New Jersey, USA) 10pm itv

Wed 17.06.2026 Croatia won 4-2
Burn remained on the bench in Dallas as former SJP colleagues Elliot Anderson and Anthony Gordon started.

(Tino Livramento's World Cup ended without kicking a ball in anger, returning to the UK after suffering a calf injury during an England training session).

Yoane Wissa (DR Congo, Group K):
Wed 24.06.2026 Colombia (Guadalajara, Mexico) 3am itv

Sun 28.06.2026 Uzbekistan (Atlanta, USA) 12.30am bbc

Wed 17.06.2026 Portugal drew 1-1
The Newcastle forward played the full game in Houston, memorably heading in his side's first half equaliser.

Former Magpies participating in the World Cup include:

Miguel Almiron (Paraguay)
Elliot Anderson (England)
Nabil Bentaleb (Algeria)
Bradley Cross (South Africa)
Anthony Gordon (England)
Grant Hanley (Scotland)
Alexander Isak (Sweden)
Chancel Mbemba (DR Congo)
Mikel Merino (Spain)
Ivan Toney (England)
Chris Wood (New Zealand)

Steve Clarke (Scotland Coach)

USA:
Careless whisper

Penalised with a booking in Paraguay's game against the USA after a review confirmed a dive rather than a foul, Miguel Almiron made more unwanted headlines on Friday.

The Newcastle old boy was dismissed during first half added time against Turkey after covering his mouth to speak to an opponent - and breaking another new regulation introduced at this World Cup Final tournament.

Almiron is the second former or future Magpie to be sent off at a World Cup Final tournament so far, after Patrick Kluivert saw red for the Dutch against Belgium in 1998 for a good old-fashioned elbow in the face of an opponent.

Update:
Progress?

It's reported that Newcastle's new main shirt sponsor is to be South African soft drink company KNOX, who already hold training ground naming rights.

A new three year agreement is set to net the Magpies up to £60m*, with the 2026/27 season set at a maximum of £10m and the ceiling for the following two campaigns increasing to £25m.

The KNOX branding of United's Darsley Park training ground remains a separate three year deal that begins next month and will boost the club's coffers by £6m annually.

* The now-expired three year sponsorship contract with SELA was confirmed by NUFC in June 2023, when no firm details of value or duration were publicly divulged.

The replacement deal for the FUN88 brand was claimed to be worth £25m per year, with no mention of performance-related clauses, meaning that the Magpies banked £75m.

The biggest difference between 2023 and 2026 is of course the fact that the SELA shirts were then set to be displayed in Champions League games and the KNOX ones aren't.

On that basis, it's reasonable to conclude that the £25m notional fee for 2027/28 and 2028/29 is based on United qualifying for the prestige European club competition and that the value of those rights is unchanged since 2023 - certainly from our negotiations.

Update:
Recruitment mainstay confirms departure

The 15 year career of Steve Nickson at Gallowgate is set to end with his departure this summer.

The 61 year-old moved from Blackburn Rovers to United ahead of the 2011/12 season, switching from a youth recruitment brief to scouting senior players in 2017.

Nickson continued in his role as head of recruitment as Director of Football appointments came and went, but the presence of Andy Howe and his current position as Senior Football Executive looks to have been the trigger that saw him seek alternative employment.

That is set to be as Sporting Director of Championship side West Ham, but the Mail also claim an approach to Nixon by fellow second tier club Wrexham.

2026/27:
Club reveal season ticket waiting list response

Following the closure of the NUFC season ticket waiting list, almost 50,000 individuals took up the opportunity to be in with a chance of owning the 250 places available.

Those who registered to join the waiting list should have received emails confirming their place in the queue, with future membership purchases required to remain eligible.

Update:
Staying, going etc.

Squad updates:

Senior players signed (1):
Ewen Jaouen

Contracts extended (2):
Mark Gillespie (to 2027)
Fabian Schar (to 2027)

Senior players out of contract (5):
Emil Krafth, Kieran Trippier, John Ruddy, Matt Targett,
Max Thompson.

Senior player loan expired (1):
Aaron Ramsdale (returned to Southampton)

Senior player sold (1):
Anthony Gordon (Barcelona)

Development squad players out of contract (15):
Will Anderson, Joe Brayson, Thomas Bryant, Jude Cogdon, Adam Harrison, Alfie Harrison, Kayden Lucas, Charlie McArthur, Alex O'Donovan, Darren Palmer, James Taylor, Matty Taylor, Ciaran Thompson, Ezra Tika-Lemba, Mo Waddani.

Development squad player sold (1):
Travis Hernes (Groningen)

Update:
KK/KD updates

What Else?